Generally, whenever a person wants to determine the pressure contained within a vehicle tire a hand-held mechanical or digital gauge is utilized. The person would have to remove each tire's valve stem cap and manually place the gauge on the tire's valve stem. The gauge would then indicate the tire pressure which is either displayed on a calibrated metal rod/strip that extends outward from the gauge or on a digital readout.
As technology has improved vehicle manufacturers have developed automatic tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) which are now in use on many vehicles. The TPMS provides a driver of a vehicle with a visual indicator when a tire's pressure is too low or too high.
There are problems associated with a TPMS such as the difficulty of mounting the TPMS on certain types of vehicle wheels. As a result of the design of some wheels, such as special sized aluminum and steel truck wheels or duplex super single wheels, it is difficult to reliably and efficiently mount a TPMS.
What is needed is a mounting bracket that will provide the required attachment means for a TPMS on an aluminum or steel truck wheel or super single wheel. In the interest of economy, a single bracket or adapter that can be utilized for all three types of wheel would be optimal.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any literature or patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, the following U.S. patents are considered related:
PAT. NO.INVENTORISSUED4,455,716LeonardoJun. 26, 19845,774,048Ar{grave over (c)}hterholtJun. 30, 19985,987,980Mangafas et alNov. 23, 19996,005,480Banzhof et alDec. 21, 19996,612,528Collins et alSep. 2, 20036,799,455Neefeldt et alOct. 5, 2004
U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,716 discloses a tap bracket or unitary cable clamp for connection to an overhead suspension cable of wire. The bracket comprises two edge panels integrally connected by a single bend, thus establishing an initially acute angle between the edge panels. Each panel has an elongated flange that is bent inward towards the opposite edge panel, thereby forming a space between the flanges.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,048 discloses a valve which generates a signal indicating a pressure drop in a vehicle tire. A pressure sensor and microprocessor are provided which store a value of the pressure in memory and compares pressure, sending a signal periodically.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,980 discloses a tire valve having a pressure sensor and transponder. The sensing device is removable from a valve stem. The device is electrically connected to a conductive portion of the valve element via a receptacle to facilitate an antenna system for radio frequency communication with the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,480 discloses a tire pressure radio-frequency sending unit mounted to a snap-in resilient valve body, with a column extending from the sending unit. The column defines a central passageway to facilitate insertion using standard insertion tools. In one version, two batteries are included in the sending unit that are disposed on opposite edges of the column.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,528 discloses a compound mounting bracket for attaching a solenoid to a structure. The bracket has a first and second plate each having a first edge and a second distal edge. The second edge of the first plate is connectable to a first mounting point on a solenoid. The second distal edge of the second plate extends in a direction generally transverse to the first edge of the second plate, thereby defining a dihedral angle between the first plate and the second plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,455 discloses a tire pressure monitor that continuously determines if a tire is adequately inflated for safe operation. The monitor includes an indicator that is utilized for each tire, indicating which tire is operational. The monitor includes a battery-operated pressure-sensitive radio frequency transmitter mounted on the outer end of a conventional tire valve stem and includes an antenna extending into each tire for transmitting a signal. The signal transmitted one each tire valve actuates the indicator associated with a single from only the transmitter assigned to each tire.